THE NEWS
The basket in Mrs. McDougal's hands was dropped as if its every
egg were a coal of living fire.
"Kingdom come and glory be! Kingdom come--and--glory be!" She
clapped first her right hand on her left and then her left on her
right and stared into Mr. Blick's beaming black eyes as if through
them rather than his mouth the information just received was to be
confirmed. Then she sat down on a soap-box and rocked in
unqualified delight.
"Kingdom come and glory be! What 'd you tell me a thing like that
for when I was a-standin' up? I might have sat down in that bucket
of lard 'stead of on a keg of herrings--or is it soap?" She looked
down with sudden anxiety on the seat she had taken without thought.
"I been long a-hopin' somethin' like this would happen, but I wasn't
expectin' of it to come this way. Kingdom come and glory be!"
Again Mrs. McDougal rocked backward and forward, her arms this
time tightly clasped as if hugging a cherished possession. Presently
she threw back her head and laughed until the tears rolled down her
cheeks.
"Can't help it, Mr. Blick--can't help it! To think of Pa Pugh and
Ma Deford in the course of nature being grandparents of the same
unsuspectin' infant! One and the same! I've never heard tell that
the devil was much on laughin', but he's a good grinner, and he'll
be just enjoyin' of himself to-day. That he will. And so will I.
Bein' human, I chuckle when I gets a chance. Kingdom come and glory
be!"
From a mysterious arrangement in the back of her skirt Mrs. McDougal
pulled out a handkerchief, made from the remains of an old sheet, and
wiped her eyes with it. Then she got up and leaned upon the counter
behind which Mr. Blick stood waiting for a chance to speak; his
round, red cheeks redder than usual, and his beady little eyes
blinking with importance.
"Tell me about it," she said. "I must have been dead and buried not
to have heard no speculations. Now I come to think of it, I did hear
the children say they seen Mr. Billy Pugh and Miss Lily Deford sneakin'
along in the shank of the evenin', all alone by themselves. But I ain't
paid no attention to it. Mrs. Deford don't think people like the Pughs
is fitten to spit on, but she owes Mr. Pugh this minute a bill, I bet
you, for carriage rides, what's bigger than she will ever pay. Maybe
now he won't press her for it, bein' they're so close connected from
henceforth and forever on." And once more Mrs. McDougal's hands came
together with a resounding smack.
"But tell me about it." She leaned farther over the counter. "When
did it happen, and where did they go, and how did the news come? Do
pray shake your tongue, Mr. Blick, and say something. You're as bad
as McDougal, and slower 'n molasses in winter runnin' down a hill.
Is she come to yet? Now, if 'twas just death, I could go by and
leave my sympathies. Even mill folks is counted then, for people
like to say poor people come and shed tears. It sounds hopeful for
heaven. But in marriage it's different. Congratulations is
presumptuous, lessen they come from kinfolks and friends, I reckon,
and Mrs. Deford wouldn't care to get the kind I'd like to give. Pride
is a sure destroyer, and as for haughty spirits!--I ain't no student
of history, but I've watched Yorkburg and I've seen right many
different kinds of falls. I don't make no pretence of bein' a Miss
Mary Cary kind of Christian. I'm just a church kind, who goes regular
when I got the clothes, and talks mean about my fellow-members when
they make me mad. 'Tain't no set of people which talks more about each
other than church members. Seems like 'tis their chief delight. It's a
heap easier and more soothin' to go to church and feel you kind of got
a permit to say what you oughtn't than to try to live like Christ. But
if you ain't a-goin' to tell me about the runaway I'll just leave my
eggs and step over and see Miss Puss Jenkins. Miss Puss will talk to
anybody, anywhere, day or night. All you got to do is to ask your first
question and take your seat. If 'n you ain't got nothin' to say--"
"How can I say it if you don't let a word get in noway, nohow?" Mr.
Blick was huffy. He had much to say, and thus far had been forced
to dumbness. "Don't anybody know anything much. They was both at
the party last night, and Mrs. Porter says that's what comes of
givin' folks like the Pughs an inch. Mr. John Maxwell asked her
for an invitation for Billy, and she gave it, being it was Mr.
Maxwell who asked, and the result was he run off and married--"
"Miss Lily! That he did! Bein' plain, he took an ell. Bein' proud,
she'll give him hell!--Mrs. Deford will. Just listen at that! I'm
gettin' to be a regular rhymer. Swell people certainly do have
advantage over humble ones. I tell you now, when I get to heaven I
ain't a-goin' to be in no particular hurry to be a saint with a halo.
I want first to be privileged to say unto others what they've said
unto us. But I don't want to do that till get through with Eve. She's
the first person I'm goin' to make a bee-line to. If ever a woman did
need shakin', it's Eve. As for Adam--" She waved her hand. "A man what
hides behind a woman's petticoats, or whatever she's wearin' at the
time, and says 'she made me do it,' I got my opinion of. Bein' a Bible
character, I don't speak of him in public often, but I ain't never felt
no call to be proud of him for a first father. It do look, though, as
if all men since Adam has been makin' of women an excuse. She's always
handy to blame things on. Reckon somebody will be sayin' next Miss Lily
made Mr. Billy fall in love with her."
"They say Mrs. Deford is holding of Miss Mary Cary responsible for
the running away." Mr. Blick began to weigh out certain orders which
had been delayed by the coming of Mrs. McDougal. "Miss Puss Jenkins
was in here this morning before breakfast and she says Mrs. Deford
is as near crazy as a lady like her could be. It seems Mr. Maxwell
took Miss Lily to the party last night, and, while her ma was there,
too, she slipped home and changed her dress and got her valise. Billy
Pugh did the same thing. Mr. Maxwell helped, though they say they
didn't tell him anything about it until last night, and he had to wear
his dress clothes. They caught the ten-ten train and went as far as
Vinita, where the preacher was waiting, Billy having gotten the
license from the county clerk during the day. Mr. Maxwell went with
them and was them married and caught the twelve-twenty train back,
bringing with his a note for Mrs. Deford."
"I reckon she's been swoonin' ever since, ain't she?" Mrs. McDougal
took up a handful of dried peaches and ran them through her fingers.
"She don't look like a swooner. She'd do better at swearin', I
reckon, and yet faintin' is always considered a high-class sign."
"Fainting!" Mr. Blick patted the butter in the scale and took a pinch
off. "Miss Puss Jenkins says she walked the floor the rest of the
night, and is walking yet. What she hasn't said about Mr. John Maxwell
ain't in human speech, but this morning she began on Miss Mary Cary
and is holding of her responsible just now. The hotter she got with
Mr. Maxwell, the cooler he got, Miss Puss says. She was with her when
he came back with the note, and if he was the kind that got scared
he'd be shaking yet. But he ain't that kind. He told her they'd made
up their minds to get married and when she calmed down she'd be much
obliged to him for going with them and seeing it was well done. She
was too raging for him to say much, and he didn't stay long, so I
was told."
Mrs. McDougal wiped her mouth. "Well, sir, I felt somethin' in the
air when I waked up this mornin', and I could tell by my bones
Yorkburg was shook by somethin'. It don't take much to make Yorkburg
shake, and it ain't had nothin' to talk about lately. This will give it
somethin'. Miss Lily Deford and Mr. Billy Pugh married! Whom the Lord
loveth He chaseth! He sure must be fond of Mrs. Deford! Well, all I've
got to say is I hope they'll stay away until the thunder and lightning
is over. A caterpillar has about as much chance to stand up straight
as Miss Lily to meet her ma in argument. I tell you now I wouldn't like
that longnet thing she puts to her eye to stare at me if I was alone
with her." She took up her basket. "Is the eggs out? I don't know what
I come for. My breath and brains is clean gone this mornin'. I wonder if
Miss Puss Jenkins is home? I think I'll just step up the street and ask
her if she's got any more of them missionary aprons to sell." She winked
at Mr. Blick. "Ain't folks funny? And don't we have to make believe a
lot in life? Miss Puss has told so many people she makes aprons for her
missionary money that she believes it sure enough. I make out I believe
it, too. It helps her feelin's and pays your bills. She says she has so
much time and so little to do that she makes aprons. Well, good-bye, Mr.
Blick. Much obliged to you for telling what you know, but my grandmother
always told me to go to females when wantin' details. A man ain't much
on trimmin's. Good-bye!" And with a wave of her hand she was gone.
* * * * *
An hour later John Maxwell, walking up and down in Mrs. Deford's
parlor, stood for a moment in front of the mirror between the
windows and smiled grimly at the face reflected in it. "Moral!"
he said. "When doing unto others as you'd have them do to you, be
sure there's no mother-in-law in it. I'm as innocent as a lamb, and,
like the lamb, am getting it in the neck, all right. I thought to do
a kindness, and am called a criminal. Poor creature! She was as crazy
last night as any March hare that ever hopped. When she was through
with me I was, let me see"--he counted on his fingers--"I was an
instigator, an abetter, a thief, a rascal, a double-dealer and
hypocrite, a deceiver and destroyer, a traitor and a flirt, a
socialist and anarchist. I was everything but a man."
He whistled softly and looked toward the door. "I'd give fifteen cents
if I could smoke during the coming interview. It's a gentleman's only
way of relieving his feelings when a lady is taking his head off. I
held in last night after stating facts, and stood the storm, but I
don't promise to do it again. I'm tired of this nonsense. If there
are high horses this morning, the tragedy queen must mount and rant
alone."
A noise as of deep breathing made him turn. In the doorway Mrs.
Deford stood tense, rigid, erect. A trailing black wrapper replaced
the low-cut shabby satin gown of the evening before. The pallor of
her face was heightened by a liberal use of powder which ended under
her eyes, where pencil-marks had been added to their usual lines to
give emphasis to the shock. And as she slowly advanced she measured
each step as though unequal to another.
With an inclination of the head John waited until she had taken her
seat. Her tactics had changed. So had his. For a brief moment he
stood in front of her, then spoke, and his voice and manner made her
look up as she had not intended to look.
"You have sent for me," he said. "I will be obliged if you will say
quickly what you have to say." He took out his watch. "I have an
engagement in less than fifteen minutes--"
"You have!" She half rose. His words were as match to tinder. "I
have an engagement for the rest of my life with shame and disgrace
and disappointment. You have helped to bring them on me and you
tell me to hurry--to /hurry!/ Her right hand flew out with
tragic eloquence. "That I receive you in my house is beyond my
understanding."
"And mine, madam. Shall I leave?" He smiled and started toward
the door.
"You shall not!" With frantic energy her arm was waved. "Have you
no heart in your bosom that you can so treat the agony in my
breast! My child who has in her veins the best blood in the State
married to a--to a--what?"
A clean, honest man, who loves her. Your daughter is very
fortunate, Mrs. Deford."
"Fortunate!" Her voice was a half-shriek. "She is disgraced and
so am I. Who are his people?" She shuddered. "From what does he
come?"
"As the ceremony is over, the important question just now is where
is he going? His salary in the bank here is exactly eighty-three
dollars thirty-three and one-third cents per month. A bank in which
I am a director in New York is looking for a certain kind of young
man. I wired to-day to hold the place for Billy. I think it can be
managed. The salary is three thousand a year. There is nothing to
bring Lily back to Yorkburg. I understood last night you would never
recognize her husband. Pity! New York is rather a nice place to visit.
Mother can find them a suitable apartment, and Billy is not apt to
worry you about coming on. I wrote mother last night to make it
pleasant for them and turn over my man and the machine until I get
back." He again took out his watch. "Is there anything else?
My time is up."
"Mine isn't, and you are not to go!" Her arm waved up and down. "Do
you think /lending/ your automobile a few days will make up for
our walking the rest of our lives? Do you think I expected Lily and
myself to /walk/ through life? I tell you /no!/ I expected
to ride! And what is three thousand a year when there might have been
thirty! But the suffering of a mother's heart is not to be understood
by a selfish man. You have been a traitor! In the darkness of the
night you helped my daughter marry a man whose father has hitched up
horses for me to ride behind. A man by the name of P-u-g-h!" She blew
out the word by letters, her lips trembling on each. Again she repeated
it--"P-u-g-h!"
He looked at the writhing, twisting woman steadily, and out of his
eyes went all pity and patience. "The name of Pugh is a very honest
one," he said presently. "And a man who takes good care of horses
is worthier than he who takes no care of his family. If there is
nothing else, I must bid you good-morning."
"There is something else." She rose from the sofa on which she had
been sitting and, baffled, threw prudence to the wind. She could
bring from him neither regret nor sympathy, neither explanation nor
apology. Frankly the night before he had told his part. Clearly this
morning he had not changed his mind. No. She was not through.
"And why, may I ask, was this interest in my daughter's affairs taken
so suddenly? I understand you alone were not interested, but by another
beguiled into this traitorous help. To get Lily out of the way fits
well into the scheming plans of your helper. As a woman, I have been
ashamed to see how you have been pursued by one who had no mother to
direct her. She has thrown herself at your head, at your feet, has
given you no chance to escape, and now I suppose is triumphant--"
John turned. "Of whom are you speaking?"
"Of whom? You know very well of whom. Since childhood Mary Cary
has--"
"Don't you dare!" His hand went out as if to hold back further words.
"Don't you dare call her name in this room." He went over to a window
and opened it, letting the cold air in with a rush. "Miss Cary is the
one woman in the world I want for my wife. She is the only woman I've
ever given a thought to, and if she does not marry me I do not marry.
A dozen times I have asked her. A dozen times she has refused. She
does not enter into this discussion. Whatever else you forget, you
are to remember that. Am I understood in regard to Miss Cary?"
Mrs. Deford's shoulders shrugged, then her eyes grew glassy. Suddenly
she fell back upon the sofa as if faint, then suddenly again her mind
was changed and her finger pointed toward the door.
"Go!" she said. "I consider you have insulted me. Go!"